okra - grace grits and gardening

Sunday Letter: 09-21-25

September 21, 2025 By Talya Tate Boerner 6 Comments

Dear Sunday Letter Readers,

Look at me—two Sunday Letters in a row! I know, shocking, right? Ha.

Tomorrow marks the first day of fall here in the northern hemisphere. Yes, even though we live in the southern United States, we’re still in the northern hemisphere. (The last time I mentioned this, a lady from Colorado insisted the Ozarks were in the southern hemisphere. Good grief. Some things really are facts.)

Another fact—yesterday, we finally received a lovely, much-needed rainfall. There was even rolling thunder, a sound I find incredibly soothing.

Something that wasn’t soothing = my college football watching experience. The Heartbreak Hogs managed to lose yet another close game. (I’m not an authority, but I bet that routinely happens when a team completely forgets to play in the second half.) And, my Baylor Bears lost by three points in the last few seconds to Arizona State. This loss felt different though, because both teams actually showed up and played hard for an entire four quarters.

Of course, in the big picture, none of this amounts to a hill of beans.🫘

What I really want to say is happy Last Day of Summer—and welcome to today’s Sunday Letter.

Cotton and Okra. Kissing Cousins.

July 16, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Did you know cotton and okra are cousins? The plants are botanically related from the same scientific family Malvaceae.

The veined leaf shapes are very similar with a reddish purple spot at the base of each petal.

The blooms are similar too.

The final product!

One fills our bellies, the other covers our bellies. I love both!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Alabama – Song of the South

Roasted Okra with Mint and Black-Eyed Peas

July 8, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I’m here to set the record straight. Okra doesn’t have to be slimy. Nor must it be deep fried. I know, I know, that sounds impossible, doesn’t it? I love fried okra, sometimes crave it even, but I rarely fry anything at home. Simple, roasted okra is delicious.

This is my favorite okra recipe, my “go-to” potluck, supper on the ground, picnic dish. I’m confident you will agree this is the perfect summer grilling menu side dish. Plus the recipe includes black-eyed peas. Think of all the extra luck you’ll have. Last week after I made this dish for a neighborhood get together, I won a pair of boots! No kidding, here’s a picture of my new boots.

Old Gringo Boots – Flair and Company

Now back to the recipe.

I found this recipe via a Central Market cooking class several years ago. With inexpensive veggies easily obtained at your local grocery store (or from your own garden), there’s no reason not to give this a try. Add blackened shrimp on top. Mix in a scoop of rice. This recipe is easily adaptable.

Roasted Okra & Peas with Mint

Print Recipe

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black-eyed peas
1 pound fresh okra trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1 medium onion cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 pound green beans trimmed and cut into one inch pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method

If using fresh peas, blanch 2 minutes in boiling salted water. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into an ice bath to cool. Drain and dry. If using frozen, let them thaw in a colander and dry.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss to mix well. Spread onto an oiled jelly-roll pan and roast 8 minutes. Turn veggies with a spatula and roast another 6 minutes. Serve hot.

You can substitute black-eyed peas with crowder peas, field peas, butter beans, or lima beans. I used small purple onions from my garden, as well as a combination of Roma and cherry tomatoes. The one thing you must NOT omit is the mint. Mint is the key to this dish.